Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-07
GEN. GRANT 10 GEN. pEuREEyVOy.
Sharp Letter of the Union General
to the Confederate Commander.

The Phladeiphia Press prints the following
hitherto unpublished letter OF Cen Grant:
HEADQUARTERS DEPT. OF THE TENNEssEE)
BEFORE VIcksBURG, March, 1863. 4
Lieut.. Gen. J. C. Penterto,t, Con,naandiag De
l,drtment Of Hiss. and Il. La.
GENERAL: Major Gen. c. L. Stevenson's letter OF
the oath ult., written At your dictation, was re-
ceiyed last evening.
This letter enclosed what purports to be a copy
OF an order issued by Admiral ID. ID. Porter 10 his
squadron, and made inquiry ii it Is authentic.
1 Will state that Admiral Porter's command
over the Mississippi sqadron is as complete as
mine over the army in this department. and that
issue.
one thing, however, can guarantee. Admiral
Porter has never departed from the rules OF civil
lied warfare and never will, unless driven to doso
In retaliation for OnenSeS committed by PERSONS
who. by their acts, cease TO be entitled 10 the
treatment due soldiers captured in legitimate
warfare. There has been much done by citizens
OF the southern states that Is not in accordance
with any known rules OF civilized warfare and for
which they individually are responsible, and can
call for protection in their acts upon no people or
government These are persons who are always
army force remain at their homes protesting 10 be
in NO way connected with the army, but entitled
to all the indugencieS allowed non-combatanus in
q country visited by an opposing army. These
same persons many OF Them are even ready To
IRE upon unarmed vessels or to capture and some
III
may be passing.
do not here instance an isolated case but a rule
that seems TO have been adopted particularly in
Mississippi and Arkansas.
In the absence or any standard authority on this
subject believe all persons engaged in war must
have about them some insignia by which they may
be known at all times as enemy TO entitle them
TO the treatment oil prisoners OF war; Then these
hostitieS must be carried on in accordance with
the rules OF civilized warfare. In the absence OF
these two conditions being fulfilled they who vio-
late them become responsible for their own acts
have never threatened retaliation upon those
recognized as engaged I'm warfare against the gov
eminent for their Illegal acts, and until the
southern authorities formally recognize them a s
their do not propose 10 do so. IL is not my in
tention nor do believe 1t 10 be the intention OF
Admiral Porter, 10 hold the innocent responsible
for the acts OF the guilty. / regret that Gen
Stevenson'S letter, whilst making Inquiries,
should contain a threat. I have Vet to hear Tor
the first time OF such course securing any aleyi-
alton from the hardships necessarily produced by
a state OF war.
All prisoners that have fallen into my hands
have been kindly and humanely treated. Unprfnci-
pied and over-zealouS persons many times may
exaggeraJe unavoidable suffering, but a sensible
commander will always know how TO receive such
reports will refer Gen. Stevensons letter TO
Admiral Porter, who alone can answer the queries
am, general, very respectfully, your obeoiient
servant, Z. s. GRANT, Major General.